asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the aggregate tax expenditure cost of all income tax allowances, reliefs and exemptions in the current financial year.

Not all income tax reliefs are tax expenditure. Many of them form an integral part of the tax structure. The costs, in 1982–83, of those reliefs for which estimates can be made, are contained in table 4.7 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1983–84 to 1985" — Cmnd. 8789. Figures for 1983–84 will be included in the forthcoming public expenditure White Paper.I regret that it is not possible to produce a reliable estimate of the aggregate cost of all reliefs allowances and exemptions, because of the interaction between reliefs and lack of information about earnings below the tax threshold or outside the scope of income tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in league order the 10 countries known to him to have the highest top rate of income tax, including investment income.

The information available is given in the tables:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr on 9 February, Official Report, c. 745–46, concerning the standard rate of income tax, what factors have arisen since 23 November 1982 which now make it impossible to forecast income tax revenue for the next financial year.

A forecast of income tax revenue for 1984–85 will be given in the financial statement and Budget report.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest expected yield of investment income surcharge in 1983–84; and what are the expected costs of collection of this tax.

The expected yield of investment income surcharge in 1983–84 is £290 million; the estimated cost of collection is £3·1 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all forms of taxation in rank order by the collection cost of each, with the least expensive to collect first.

The information is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate what the effect on the Exchequer would have been if all new lighting installations had qualified for 100 per cent. capital allowance against corporation tax in 1982.

I regret that insufficient information is available to answer the question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures comparing, in local currencies and in pound sterling equivalent (a) gross domestic product per person, (b) average income tax paid per person and (c) average value added tax paid per person, in the United Kingdom, Germany and France, respectively, during the latest year for which figures are available.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 13 February 1984 at c. 65–67.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the review by HM Customs and Excise of the arrangements for the duty-free supply to diplomats of alcoholic drinks and tobacco goods of United Kingdom manufacture has yet been completed.

Yes. As a result of this review, the arrangements whereby, in accordance with the Vienna convention, diplomatic missions may receive limited amounts of alcoholic drinks and tobacco goods free of customs charges will be extended to supplies of United Kingdom manufacture on a concessionary basis, with effect from 1 April 1984, subject to their compliance with certain marking requirements which are being notified directly to the trades concerned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the amount of revenue raised in respect of employer-provided motor cars in current terms and real terms for each year since such taxation was introduced.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 February 1984, c. 78]: Estimates of the yields accruing each year since 1977–78— when scale charges were introduced as the basis of taxation—are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many recruits under the youth training scheme have been taken into the services; and whether he will make a statement on the success of this scheme.

Six hundred and fifty-three have been accepted for the ASYTS and 589 have so far been taken into the armed services. About 3,000 applications have been received for some 1,900 places available this financial year. ASYTS trainees are required to meet the normal entry requirements for the armed services because they are required to train and work alongside their regular counterparts and standards are high. Many of those who have entered the scheme have done very well and some have reached impressive standards.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what have been the 12 largest defence industry exports, measured by value, over the last 20 years; and what comparable information he has about defence exports by France and the United States of America in the same period.

It has long been the practice of successive Governments not to publish details of individual sales of defence equipment overseas. The information sought in respect of defence exports by France and the United States of America is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many people joined the armed forces in each of the past five years.

The information requested is:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether there is any provision for the compensation of a pet shop owner whose entire stock of cage birds is slaughtered by officers of his Department to prevent the spread of Newcastle disease.

No compensation is payable for the slaughter of imported birds which a veterinary inspector suspects are or may be affected with disease or for the slaughter of birds which may have been in contact with such birds.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has made to the European Community on subsidies to ice cream manufacturers who use butter or butter oil in preference to milk or cream.

Subsidies are currently available under European Community arrangements on butter and butter oil used in the manufacture of ice cream. The Commission is suspending the element of these arrangements relating to subsidies on butter-fat purchased on the open market because of concern about speculation in advance of the proposed adjustment of the intervention price for butter and in order to encourage greater uptake of reduced price butter from intervention stocks. We are pressing the Commission to resume the full range of subsidies as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what investigation he has made of the possibility of a major shortfall on the take-up of the British quota of mackerel; what consequences to the United Kingdom fleet in the allocation of quotas in future years this would have; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom's quota for western mackerel in 1984 is 234,700 tonnes. Our provisional catch figure for 1983 was 187,042 tonnes as against the quota finally agreed of 220,000 tonnes. Our ability to take our full quota in 1984 will depend on a variety of factors including the skill and effort of our fishermen, the weather and the behaviour of the mackerel shoals. The proportion which the United Kingdom quota represents of the total Community availability was established under the common fisheries policy settlement of 25 January 1983 and has staying power for the future: the future level of our western mackerel quota will thus depend not on the level of our catches but on the health of the stock.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what representations he has received from organisations within the fishing industry that there should be no ban on fishing for mackerel within the extended pout box in the south west fishing waters, and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will ensure that the extended south west fishery protection pout box is not closed at the end of February 1984.

We have received representations from a number of organisations and individuals. both for and against the tightening up of the existing Community regulations on the south-west mackerel box, which permits bottom trawling for mackerel within the box.We are currently considering the management and conservation arrangements for the south-west mackerel fishery in the light of the latest available information and hope to reach conclusions shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek a revision of the European Community pigmeat regulations, with a view to having a price stabilisation scheme accepted which would be approved by the Council of Ministers and paid from Community funds on terms which presently are available to French pig producers.

Bearing in mind the nature of the product, the fact that the European Community is already over 100 per cent. self-sufficient in pigmeat and the state of the Community budget, there is no realistic prospect of the Council of Ministers agreeing to a heavyweight regime involving firmer guarantee arrangements for Community pig producers. As far as we have been able to ascertain so far, the French proposal is different in its effect and its extent. But, as I told the House on 2 Februrary at c. 395, we have been urging the European Commission to investigate the arrangements the French authorities have in mind for assisting their pig producers to determine whether they are compatible with Community rules. The Commission is doing so. My officials are keeping in regular touch with Commission officials over this and we will not hesitate to pursue the matter further if there is any suggestion of an illegal state aid.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what tests have been carried out by his Department of the effect on fish, and shellfish, including oysters, of tributyl tin in the rivers of Devon and Cornwall; and if he will make a statement on the implications for human consumption of such fish and shellfish.

My Burnham-on-Crouch Laboratory has carried out tests both in the laboratory and at selected sites around the coast. This work which has included some sampling in Devon and Cornwall, has been concentrated on pacific oysters. It has indicated that the presence of tributyl tin in water can cause shell thickening and reduced growth, thereby inhibiting the cultivation of pacific oysters in certain areas. The levels of tributyl tin detected in affected oyster flesh are extremely low and should pose no risk to human health.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what conclusions the Government have reached on the European Commission's proposals for a 4·2 per cent. revaluation of the green pound.

The Government do not consider the Commission's proposal to be justified.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will announce the date on which the provisions of the Diseases of Fish Act 1983 will be implemented.

Shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy regarding the use of powers under the Weeds Act 1959; and if he will make a statement.

The Weeds Act 1959 empowers the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in England and the Secretary of State for Wales to serve a notice on an occupier of land on which certain specific weeds are growing requiring him to take action to prevent the weeds from spreading. These weeds are spear thistle, creeping thistle, curled dock, broad-leaved dock and common ragwort. The Act also enables officials to carry out inspections of land and to instigate prosecution where an enforcement notice has not been complied with.The Weeds Act 1959 is a consolidation measure which derives from earlier legislation concerned with commercial food production. In view of this background, it has long been the policy of the agriculture departments to contemplate action under the Act only when it is clear that there is a real threat to agricultural land or agricultural production. It has also been our policy, where there is a threat to agriculture, always to seek first a remedy through advice and persuasion. It has therefore only rarely been necessary to resort to statutory action under the Act.In the light of the advances that have been made in agricultural technology, including development of chemical herbicides and modern grazing techniques, we have considered whether there is still a need for this legislation. After consultation with interested organisations on the desrability of repealing the Act, my colleagues and I have been persuaded that it still has a useful function in specific areas such as the control of roadside weeds. Nevertheless although the Weeds Act 1959 will remain on the statute book it is not appropriate to use it to control weeds in domestic gardens. The policy I have described earlier has proved effective in dealing with those cases where the existence of specified weeds poses a genuine threat to agriculture, and this will continue to be our policy in the future.I understand my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, who has similar powers, shares this view and his officials will be adopting a similar approach.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the payments to which note 4(c) on the accounts of the Development Board for Rural Wales refers.

Grant payments by the Development Board for Rural Wales in 1982–83 under section 4(1)(d)(ii) of the Development of Rural Wales Act 1976 were as follows.

asked the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor requires a person appointed to the magistracy to resign if subsequently he comes into a category disqualified from being appointed; if similar requirements apply to any relative who is already a magistrate; and if he will make a statement.

Paragraph 35, as amended, of the Lord Chancellor's directions to advisory committees provides that if a justice, or the spouse thereof, accepts an office which would have disqualified him from appointment initially, the fact should be reported to the Lord Chancellor who will decide whether the justice should be required to resign, be transferred to the supplemental list, or be allowed to remain an active justice.

asked the Attorney-General if he will list the circumstances in which a person is disqualified from, or otherwise regarded by the Lord Chancellor as unsuitable for appointment to the magistracy; whether relatives of the person are likewise excluded; and if he will make a statement.

The disqualifications for appointment as a justice of the peace are contained in paragraphs 31 and 32 of the directions for advisory committees, as amended, and amplified by a circular letter, copies of which I am placing in the Library.

asked the Attorney-General if, in the light of the trial judge's comments in R v Freud, he will make a statement on his policy towards the prosecution of reporters who participate in criminal activities for journalistic purposes.

The case of R v Freud was concluded at Croydon Crown court on 2 September 1983. The accused was convicted of offences of unlawfully supplying controlled drugs contrary to section 4 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and to possession of a controlled drug contrary to section 5 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. In that case the court accepted that the offences were initiated or encouraged by a journalist working for a Sunday newspaper which subsequently carried a full report on its front page of that journalist's role in exposing the activities of the accused. The newspaper had prior to the publication of its article made its dossier available to the police, and the journalist had provided a witness statement with a view to the prosecution of the accused.I have been unable to comment upon this case until now as a number of similar prosecutions were pending against other accused who had been exposed in a similar manner by journalists of the same newspaper. These cases have now been concluded.The Director of Public Prosecutions and I have given anxious consideration to the implications of this form of investigative journalism. In our view it would be open to a court to find that a journalist acting in this way had committed criminal offences himself in relation to his incitement of the accused to supply him with controlled drugs and in relation to his subsequent possession of them. While in the case of R

asked the Attorney-General how many persons died in each of the last five years in the course of giving evidence in judicial proceedings whether in a court building or elsewhere.

Apart from the death of Mr. Peter Connell in November 1983, of which my hon. and learned Friend is aware, inquiries have so far not revealed any other case of this kind. These inquiries will be pursued further and the Lord Chancellor will be writing to the hon. and learned Member shortly.

asked the Attorney-General when he expects to be able to announce what action will be taken by the Director of Public Prosecutions following investigations under section 41 of the Companies Act 1967 into Corporate Management Planning Ltd.

As I informed the right hon. Member in my written answer of 6 February 1984, certain inquiries remain outstanding. The director hopes that those inquiries will be conculded in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment further to the answer of 12 December, Official Report, c. 361, concerning employment in the United States of America and the United Kingdom, if he will publish in the Official Report corresponding figures for employment in manufacturing and for unemployment.

The information requested is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures.

On 12 January, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 3,199,678. Although there was a seasonally adjusted increae of 29,000 in January, this appears to be an erratic figure. At present the trend in unemployment seems to have broadly levelled out. In the last six months there has been an average monthly rise of 4,000, compared with an average monthly rise of 21,000 in the previous six months. Whether the improved unemployed picture will continue depends on a number of factors, in particular on further moderation of pay settlements.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were registered as unemployed in the Leicester, East constituency on 31 December in each of past 10 years.

The unemployment figures are compiled for jobcentre areas and not for parliamentary constituencies. The following table gives the available information for the Leicester jobcentre area, which is larger than the Leicester, East constituency. Information is given of the numbers registered as unemployed in December of each of the years 1975 and 1977 to 1981 and the numbers of unemployed claimants in December 1982 and 1983. Figures for December 1974 and 1976 are not available because of industrial action.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are registered as unemployed in the county of South Yorkshire and in each employment area within the county.

The following table gives, for 12 January, the numbers of unemployed claimants in the areas specified.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of training staff employed in each of the skillcentres in the northern region for the past five years; and how many are planned to be employed in 1984–85.

Following are the number of instructional officers employed in the Skillcentre Training Agency's northern region for each year since 1980. I regret that comparable figures for 1979 are not now available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what savings will be made by reducing the number of training places at (a) Durham skillcentre by 134 and (b) Felling skillcentre by 146.

No decision to make such reductions has yet been taken. The number of training places to be provided will depend upon the total amount of business attracted.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the range of courses (a) currently available and (b) planned to be available for each of the skillcentres in the northern region in the year 1984–85.

I am obtaining the information sought in relation to each of the 11 skillcentres concerned and I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of training places provided in each of the skillcentres in the northern region for each of the last five years; and how many are planned in 1984–85.

The following are the numbers of training places available in each skillcentre in the Skillcentre Training Agency's northern region for the years 1980 to 1983. I regret that figures for 1979 are not now available. The number of places to be provided in 1984–85 and beyond will depend on the level of demand.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements he is making, in view of the notice in the Official Journal of the European Communities, C345 dated 21 December 1983, inviting applications for the employment as administrators and administrative assistants in the Commission, to draw these employment opportunities to the attention of United Kingdom citizens, particularly those who are unemployed.

Details of the employment opportunities for administrative assistants, published in the Official Journal No. C345, were circulated on 3 January 1984 to regional offices of the Manpower Services Commission's employment division, for them either to circulate to jobcentres within their region or to make available in response to inquiries from jobcentres.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the average rates of pay for 16, 17 and 18-year-olds, including those on youth opportunities programmes and youth training schemes, for the years 1979, and 1983, expressed at (a) 1979 prices, and (b) 1983 prices.

The available information relates to average gross weekly earnings of full-time employees whose pay was not affected by absence in the new earnings survey.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the number of new jobs that have been created in the United Kingdom between, respectively, 1960 and 1984, 1970 and 1984 and 1979 and 1984.

Estimates of the numbers of new jobs created, which can be defined in differing ways, are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs in the Hamilton, Blantyre and Uddingston jobcentre areas were being supported by the temporary short time working schemes during the last month for which statistics are available.

The numbers of potentially redundant jobs which were supported under the temporary short time working compensation scheme in December 1983 in the Hamilton, Blantyre and Uddingston jobcentre areas were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people are taking part in youth training schemes (a) nationally and (b) in Wolverhampton; and how many have left before their scheme was completed (i) nationally and (ii) in Wolverhampton for the last available date when figures were collected.

At the end of December there were about 257,000 young people on the youth training scheme nationally, and about 2,350 in the Wolverhampton local education authority area.About 48,000 young people nationally, and 550 young people in Wolverhampton had left before their training programme was completed. Some of these will have transferred to other training programmes within the scheme, or left to take up full-time employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in seeking to ensure that all workers significantly exposed to asbestos receive appropriate protection, what definitions of "significantly exposed" and "appropriate protection" are used by the Health and Safety Commission.

It is important, both for the protection of workers and other persons affected by work activities and for the optimum use of resources, that the stringency of precautions matches the degree of risk. It is in this connection that these terms are used. New legislation is being prepared, inter alia, to implement the requirements of two recently adopted European Community directives on asbestos, but details will not be available until the Health and Safety Commission has considered and decided to publish a consultative document.

asked the Prime Minister what percentage of the electorate pay rates.

The number of heads of households paying full rates is equivalent to about 35 per cent. of the electorate.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for [6 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will state her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today, including one with King Hussein of Jordan. This evening I shall be holding a reception for entrepreneurs at 10 Downing street.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Leicester.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister, in the light of the Government's plans to transfer resources of local education authorities further education budgets to the Manpower Services Commission funds, how many lecturers in further education colleges will have to be transferred from permanent posts to temporary ones.

It is not possible to make detailed predictions of this kind. Local education authorities will continue to be responsible for the management of colleges of further education. The new funding arrangements described in Cmnd. 9135 will be one of a number of factors which LEAs will need to take into account in assessing staffing needs.